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Issue

Various Ayurvedic medicinal products were found to contain high levels of heavy metals which may pose serious health risks. These products are not authorized for sale in Canada and have not been found in the Canadian marketplace but it is possible they may have been brought into the country by travellers or purchased over the Internet.

What you should do

Contact the Health Products and Food Branch Inspectorate at 1-800-267-9675 if you find a product listed above in the Canadian marketplace.

Consult with a healthcare professional if you have health concerns related to the use of any of these products.

Read the label of the products you buy to verify that they have been assessed by Health Canada for safety, effectiveness and quality. Health products that have been authorized for sale by Health Canada will have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN), Natural Product Number (NPN) or a Homeopathic Drug Number (DIN-HM).

Background

Health Canada received a Canadian report of a consumer who was treated for heavy metals poisoning after using these products.

According to the report, the consumer had purchased these products for personal use from a U.S.-based website.

The products were tested and found to contain high levels of heavy metals. All five were found to contain high levels of lead. Brahmi Vati Buddhivardhak and Bruhat Vata Chintamani Rasa were also found to contain high levels of mercury and arsenic. Ingestion of excessive amounts of heavy metals poses serious health risks because they may accumulate in vital organs of the body. Children are most susceptible to the toxic effects.

Arsenic is a heavy metal that can have toxic effects, including skin and lung cancers, heart and lung diseases, and brain damage.

Lead is a heavy metal that can have toxic effects, including abdominal pain, anemia, changes in blood pressure, reproductive disorders such as miscarriage, weakness, concentration problems, weight loss, insomnia, dizziness, and kidney and brain damage.

Mercury is a heavy metal that can have toxic effects, including irritability, tremors, memory loss, insomnia, concentration problems, and kidney and brain damage.